Our purpose
Business creates opportunities for people to work together, understand different perspectives and build shared interests. UECN connects businesses across China and the UAE to encourage cooperation, strengthen mutual understanding and contribute to peace.
Discover Our MissionGCC foreign direct investment inflows rose 18 percent to $99 billion in 2025, with the UAE securing approximately $48 billion, according to UNCTAD. China and India were highlighted as key rapidly growing sources for industrial and technology investments in the region. Outward GCC investment also climbed 11 percent to $130 billion.
The UAE Federal Tax Authority announced that businesses with annual revenues of AED 50 million or more must appoint an Accredited Service Provider by October 30, 2026. Failure to comply incurs a recurring fine of AED 5,000 per month. Businesses below this revenue threshold must appoint a provider by March 31, 2027.
The UAE Capital Market Authority recorded a 43 percent year-on-year increase in licensed financial entities during the first nine months of 2026. Trading across the Abu Dhabi and Dubai markets reached AED 408 billion, with foreign capital accounting for 49 percent of transactions. The regulator also increased enforcement, issuing AED 12.9 million in financial fines.
The UAE Ministry of Finance has issued Ministerial Decision No. 197 of 2026 to update the national electronic invoicing framework. The amendment provides a 24-month temporary exclusion for intra-tax group transactions and eliminates the mandate to store invoicing data exclusively within the UAE. Core rollout timelines remain unchanged, requiring businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more to appoint an Accredited Service Provider by October 30, 2026.
Saudi petrochemical major SABIC confirmed that its multibillion-dollar Fujian complex in China is scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026. Chief Executive Officer Faisal Al-Faqeer stated that three polyethylene and polypropylene units completed successful trial runs on their first attempt. The progress coincided with SABIC posting a third-quarter adjusted net income of $224.3 million.
Understand the policies, laws and regulations shaping business across China and the UAE.
Business registration · Investment · Taxation · Customs · Trade · Financial regulation · Employment · Visas · Free-zone policies
A new research report by Smoke Free Sweden suggests the UAE could accelerate anti-smoking progress by incorporating tobacco harm reduction alongside existing regulations. While the UAE reduced adult smoking to 11.1% by 2024, Sweden lowered daily smoking to 5.3% through wider access to alternatives like snus, vapes, and nicotine pouches. The authors recommend aligning UAE taxation and regulatory scrutiny with the relative risk of smoke-free products.
The UAE banking sector is preparing new regulations that would govern how borrowers transfer outstanding debt between lenders, potentially taking effect on January 1, 2027. According to an unnamed banking source quoted by Emarat Al Youm, the proposed rules would require borrowers to complete a minimum tenure and make a set number of instalment payments before moving their loans. The final provisions and official implementation dates remain subject to formal regulatory confirmation.
UAE businesses with annual revenues of AED 50 million or more must appoint an accredited e-invoicing provider by October 30, 2026, ahead of mandatory implementation on January 1, 2027. Companies failing to appoint a provider by the deadline face a monthly administrative penalty of AED 5,000. Businesses below the AED 50 million threshold have until March 31, 2027, to appoint a provider, with full deployment required by July 1, 2027.
Follow the trade, investment and partnerships bringing China and the UAE closer together.
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has concluded its third Global Media Forum, bringing together 33 journalists, including 13 from overseas markets including China, the UK, and the US. The three-day event highlighted Abu Dhabi's regulatory framework, digital economy, and cross-border investment opportunities. The forum also featured briefings on the upcoming fifth edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week and celebrations marking ADGM's 11th anniversary.
DMCC Executive Chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem highlighted Dubai's neutral position as an impartial venue to resolve global diamond industry disputes. Speaking at the Dubai Diamond Conference, he urged the natural diamond sector to study how Swiss watchmakers adapted to quartz disruption, noting China's role as a major grower of lab-grown stones.
Chinese automotive brand OMODA & JAECOO unveiled its upcoming 5-kWh hybrid-electric vehicle technology during its International User Summit in China. The powertrain will debut on the OMODA 7 and features vehicle-to-load external power capabilities. The company outlined the technology roadmap alongside expansion targets heading into 2027.
An analysis published by Eurasia Review examines foreign infrastructure and port investments across the Horn of Africa by Middle Eastern and Asian powers. The op-ed details how geopolitical positioning by players such as the UAE and China often supersedes traditional commercial returns in Red Sea maritime corridors.
Explore the industries creating new opportunities for cooperation across both markets.
Manufacturing
Expo Centre Sharjah is preparing to host SteelFab 2027 to connect international manufacturers, investors, and industrial technology providers with markets across the UAE, GCC, and MENA region. The trade event will integrate digital twin technology and AI-driven platforms alongside live displays of heavy machinery and smart fabrication. Organisers stated the exhibition aims to support UAE industrial goals and facilitate cross-border investment.
Consumer Markets & Tourism
Satellite images from the European Union's Copernicus network show that an offshore oil spill from a damaged tanker has widened, approaching coastal areas in the northern UAE. Authorities have responded by temporarily shutting beaches across Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and parts of Sharjah while containment efforts proceed. Industry experts told Reuters that the spill originated from the tanker Gem No. 2, which was struck by a projectile last month.
Finance & Investment
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed has approved new strategic targets for the Dubai AI Campus to attract over 1,000 companies and generate 5,000 jobs by 2030. The DIFC-based tech cluster surpassed its initial five-year milestones two years ahead of schedule, having already secured 500 AI firms and AED 1 billion in investment. Plans were also reviewed for a new dedicated facility in the DIFC Zabeel District.
Consumer Markets & Tourism
Dubai-based luxury fragrance label Kayali has officially launched across mainland China through an exclusive retail agreement with Sephora. The brand is now available in more than 300 Sephora doors nationwide, with founder Mona Kattan directly involved in the rollout.
Stay informed about official travel advisories, entry restrictions and transport disruptions across the Middle East.
Airspace restriction / airport disruption
Damascus Flight Information Region (OSTT)
Official travel advisory
Lebanon nationwide
Official travel advisory
King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh) and King Fahd International Airport (Dammam)
Flight cancellation / route change
Flights between Israel and Marrakech, Morocco
Alerts are based on official sources and show when they were last verified. Always follow the guidance of the official authorities. The absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.
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